Reducing Stress

04 Apr Reducing Stress

What is Stress? Stress is the body’s reaction to a harmful situation, whether this harm is real or perceived. Stress prepares your body for danger. When you are stressed your heart rate increases, your breathing quickens, your muscles tighten, and your blood pressure rises. This happens in preparation for your fight-or-flight response.

Not all stress is bad. Stress can protect you from harmful situations and motivate. However, when stress is chronic, it becomes a problem. Chronic stress can cause physiological and emotional complications.

1. Identify the source of your stress-Is your stress being caused by work demands or your procrastination of these demands?
-Do you explain away stress as temporary? “My stress will go away once this project is done. I’ll relax when it is over.”

-Do you think stress is a normal state of being?

Once you are able to identify your source of stress and accept how you may be creating or maintaining this stress, you will begin to control this stress.

2. Identify coping techniques you currently use-even if something may bring temporary relief from stress, it does not mean it is a healthy way to cope with stress.

Avoid stressors- Know your limits and learn to say no when your limits are being exceeded. Reduce time spent with those who stress you out, and take control of the situation if possible.

Alter the situation-Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. Compromise with others. Manage your own time better.

Adapt-Re-frame your problems and look at them in a different light. Look at the big picture. (Is the google play services app
thing you are stressing over going to matter in a week, a month, ten years?). Adjust your standards. You are not perfect; stop stressing over it.

Accept- Look for the positive. Stop trying to control the things you can’t. Learn to forgive those who are stressful or have done something to stress you out.

5. Make time for fun and relaxation.

Make an effort daily to set aside time to relax. Don’t let anyone or anything take this time away from you.

Do something you enjoy daily.

6. Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Eat a healthy diet, reduce caffeine and sugar intake.

Avoid alcohol and drugs- you may receive temporary relief from stress from these sources, but you are not facing your stressor, you are ignoring it. In the long run alcohol and drugs will increase stress instead of reduce it.

Get enough sleep.

Food that help reduce stress:

Oranges

Spinach

Fish

Black Tea

Pistachios

Avocados

Almonds

If you’d like more information or ideas to reduce stress, visit these pages: